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Venture Capital Firm Creates Elevator Pitch Room

An elevator pitch is a short description of a company’s products, goals, and mission that can be delivered to someone during a brief elevator ride. Venture capital firm General Catalyst took the idea literally and decided to create a room specifically dedicated to pitching ideas in an elevator.

 

The house where the Palo Alto, California company is based has only a basement, main level, and second floor, which means that elevator rides are short and companies have to pitch their business ideas fast. It is generally recommended that an elevator pitch last only about 30 seconds. The firm has used the room for elevator pitches from startups and also as a conference room for meetings, which sometimes last for hours.

 

General Catalyst’s elevator pitch room is set up with a table and chairs. There is even a sign posted outside the elevator so that owners of startups coming to pitch their ideas will understand the reason for the furniture in the elevator.

 

The company’s employees say they enjoy working in a house, rather than an impersonal office building like the ones housing many other venture capital firms. They have a hands-on approach and try not to take themselves too seriously. They believe the elevator pitch room is a good example of that company philosophy.

 

General Catalyst is the venture capital firm that provided funding for such well-known companies as AirBNB and Snapchat. The company is known for actively working with companies they fund and helping them build their teams and create their strategic plans.

Germans Fight to Keep Paternoster Elevators

Legislation in Germany that would have banned the use of traditional paternoster elevators was defeated after a public outcry. The new workplace safety regulations said that paternosters could only be used by employees who had received training in how to use them safely.

 

A paternoster is a doorless elevator that consists of two side-by-side shafts with a series of open cabins that go up and down continuously. Passengers step on and off as the elevator approaches a floor. The name paternoster refers to prayers that Catholics say while passing a string of rosary beads through their hands, similar to the perpetual motion of the cabins through the shafts.

 

Paternosters were invented in the United Kingdom in the 1860s and introduced in Germany in the 1870s. Just one or two are believed to be in use today in the UK, but it is estimated that 250 are still in use in Germany. A ban on new paternosters was enacted in West Germany in 1974 due to safety concerns, disability access regulations, and the costs of maintenance.

 

Paternosters are now found mostly in government buildings, town halls, and police departments in Germany. When they were banned, it sparked an outcry, especially from civil servants who use the elevators in public buildings where they work.

 

Officials in Stuttgart were some of the most outspoken critics of the legislation. The paternoster in Stuttgart’s town hall has been in operation since 1956. Hundreds of members of the public were invited to a party to celebrate its reopening.

 

Many Germans have an affection for paternosters. They have been incorporated in theater and dance performances, classical concerts, speed dating, political canvassing, films, literature, and podcasts. They are popular because they have been around for a long time and are reliable.

Company Gets Patent for Space Elevator

The idea of creating an elevator to transport people and vehicles to space was proposed by Konstantin Tsiolkovsky in 1895. Rockets are difficult to launch off the surface of the Earth due to gravity and air resistance. The space elevator idea would attach a vehicle to a tether so it could climb into space. It would be a slower means of travel that would not require explosions and would theoretically be less expensive.

 

The original space elevator concept called for taking a long wire into space with a counterweight on the end and attaching the other end to a point on the Earth at the equator. The Earth’s spin would keep it taut. More recent proposals call for creating a rigid structure from carbon nanotubes. Current technology can only create carbon nanotubes that are 3 centimeters long. A Japanese company claims that it will be able to create a nanotube structure that will travel a quarter of the distance to the moon by 2050.

 

Another idea is to create a large building that would extend into space. Thoth Technology has proposed using modular Kevlar-polyethylene composites filled with helium to hold up a structure. It has been granted a patent for the idea. Thoth would, for the most part, use technology that already exists.

 

The elevator would extend 12 miles into the air. It would still be inside the Earth’s atmosphere, but high enough that it would be easier for spacecraft to enter space. The company believes rockets could land on a barge at the top to service the International Space Station and other missions. Since gravity would be lower at that height, rockets could take off with a single-stage motor, which would require less fuel and make missions safer.

 

The modular tubes that Thoth proposes using are already employed in space and have proven to be reliable. If one failed, the modular design would allow others to support the structure until repairs could be made. It would be much lighter than traditional building materials. It is estimated that the structure would weigh 880,000 tons.

 

Thoth still has to solve the problem of transporting equipment up the structure in an elevator. Even going at the speed of the fastest elevators in the world, it would take over an hour to transport pieces to the top, where they would then have to be assembled.

The Americans with Disabilities Act Has Improved Accessibility for All

The Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law by President George H.W. Bush on July 26, 1990. The law prohibited discrimination in employment based on disability and mandated access to government services and public accommodations for people with disabilities. It also required that public transportation be made accessible to wheelchair users.

 

In the 25 years since its passage, the Americans with Disabilities Act has dramatically improved accessibility for people with disabilities and limited mobility. Public buildings have been retrofitted with elevators, wheelchair lifts, and ramps to allow people with disabilities full access. Private businesses have also renovated their facilities to become more accessible.

 

Some of the greatest advances have been in the area of public transportation. Subway and train stations across the United States used to be accessible only by staircases that were impossible for people with disabilities to navigate. Since the ADA was signed, many subway stations and commuter rail stations have installed elevators to make the tracks and trains accessible to wheelchair users.

 

The ADA does not just benefit wheelchair users. For example, an elevator in a train station or a shopping mall can make it easier for a parent with a child in a stroller, a person carrying bags, or a senior citizen to move about freely.

 

Public and private buildings and public accommodations are still being upgraded to make them ADA-compliant. The process of retrofitting a building or transportation facility to install an elevator is costly and time-consuming. The price is typically thousands or even millions of dollars, depending on the design and structure of the facility. While more work remains to be done to provide complete access for individuals with disabilities, a great deal of progress has been made.

IGV Opens Showroom in Miami

Italian elevator maker IGV, which created the DomusLift, a high-end home elevator, opened a new showroom in Miami, Florida in December, its first in the United States. DomusLifts are well known for their quality Italian craftsmanship.

 

Over 30,000 luxury DomusLift elevators have already been installed in houses, apartments, villas, and penthouses around the world. DomusLift luxury elevators are already found in the homes of many famous politicians, celebrities, and athletes who live around the world.

 

Two DomusLift cars are set up in the space. One has a black interior lit by a stripe of Swarovski crystals, and the other has mosaic walls and floor from the LIBERTY COLLECTION created by Trend Group. They used a new way of laying and combining the tiles inspired by the art deco style.

 

The elevators will reside permanently in the showroom located in the historic Ironside area in the Upper Eastside of Miami. The physical address is 7610 NE 4th Court, Suite 101, Miami, FL 33138.

 

IGV is the leading Italian designer of customized residential elevators. The company has been manufacturing luxury home elevators since 1966. It is one of the most popular elevator manufacturers in Europe.

What Is Destination Dispatch?

Destination dispatch is a way of optimizing elevator travel to reduce wait and travel times. Passengers are grouped by their destinations so that people traveling to the same floor ride in the same elevator. This reduces the number of stops the elevator needs to make, which lowers the amount of time people spend riding and waiting for their floors.

 

Passengers can indicate their destination floors by tapping a keypad or touch screen or using a proximity card in the lobby. They are then directed to an elevator that is going to be traveling to that floor. It may or may not be the next elevator that will be arriving in the lobby.

 

In a full configuration, destination panels are located on every floor. There are no floor buttons to push inside the elevator, but there are still buttons that can be used to open and close the doors and to summon help in the event of an emergency. Handicap mode is supported in a full configuration. This is the most common type of configuration.

 

 

In a hybrid configuration, destination panels are only located on some floors. Other floors have up and down call buttons. There are floor buttons inside the elevator. Handicap mode is generally not supported in a hybrid configuration.

 

Destination dispatch is becoming popular for several reasons. It avoids unnecessary floor stops, which reduces wait and travel times. It can improve efficiency and organize traffic in lobbies. Passengers with impaired mobility can have better accessibility since they can move in advance to a designated elevator.

 

 

Freight Elevator Classes

Every elevator is assigned a classification related to its weight capacity and the type of loading method that can be used. The loading classification must match the elevator’s intended use for it to operate safely.

 

Most passenger elevators and standard freight elevators are assigned to Class A, or “General Freight Loading.” The weight of a one-piece load being moved on or off the elevator cannot be more than 25 percent of the elevator’s capacity. Freight can only be loaded or unloaded manually or with a hand truck. If a hand truck is used, its weight must be considered as part of the 25-percent loading restriction.

 

Standard elevators are designed for Class A loading. Other types of loading place more stress on the elevator. If an elevator’s loading class is not known, it should be treated as if it is Class A. Using a loading method from any other class could be dangerous.

 

Class B applies to freight elevators that are intended only to transport motor vehicles. These elevators can transport a vehicle with a weight up to the stated capacity of the elevator.

 

Class C1 allows for the use of an industrial truck to load or unload an elevator. The combined weight of the truck and the load cannot total more than the weight capacity of the elevator. The truck can remain in the elevator while it is in operation.

 

Class C2 allows for loading at the platform up to 150 percent of the elevator’s stated capacity. A one-piece load with a weight equal to the capacity of the elevator can be loaded with a forklift or lift truck onto the platform. The loading device must be removed before the elevator can be operated.

 

 

Class C3 allows for heavy concentration loading where the static weight during loading and unloading is not more than the rated load. The weight of the load and the equipment used to move it must not be more than the elevator’s stated capacity. Class C3 elevators are usually used to transport one-piece loads equal to the capacity of the elevator.

 

Class C loading is not permitted for limited use/limited application (LULA) elevators or accessibility lifts.

Porsche Design Tower in Miami Will Have Elevators for Cars

The Porsche Design Tower in Sunny Isles Beach in Miami will have a unique feature when construction is completed. Three elevators will transport vehicles straight to garages in each condominium in the luxury development.

 

Residents will be able to drive up in their cars and remain seated inside while they are transported to their units. Three robotic glass elevators will carry cars and passengers while providing sweeping oceanfront views.

 

A resident will pull in and turn off the vehicle’s engine. A robotic arm will lift the car and place it into the elevator. The elevator will then transport the vehicle to the desired floor, and the robotic arm will park the car in the unit’s garage and leave the resident in front of the front door. The patented system is called the “Dezervator.”

 

The ride will last about 45 to 90 seconds. Units will have two to four parking spaces. There will be a total of 284 robotic parking spaces. Residents will be able to see their cars parked in their garages from their living rooms.

 

Germany’s Porsche Design Group and luxury condominium developer Gil Dezer collaborated on the design. The Dezer Development Group has worked with Donald Trump on eight very successful luxury condominium developments in South Florida.

 

Porsche Design Tower will be a 60-story building with 132 luxury condominiums. It is situated on 2.2 acres of beachfront property. Residences will have three to five bedrooms and 3,800 to 9,500 square feet of space. The top four floors will have a four-story luxury penthouse. Each residence will include an oceanfront terrace with a private pool and summer kitchen, spacious open floor plans, and floor-to-ceiling windows. The tower will be one of the tallest oceanfront condominium developments in the United States.

 

Groundbreaking began in April 2013. Construction is expected to be completed in mid 2016. Almost 85 percent of the units in the building have already been purchased. Residents will include 22 billionaires from around the world.

 

 

Elevator Etiquette Tips

Being crammed into an elevator with a group of strangers is an awkward experience for many people. Passengers often don’t know where to stand and how to behave toward their fellow riders. Here are some practical tips to help you on your next elevator ride.

 

When you are waiting for an elevator, stand to the right of the doors. This will give people who are getting off plenty of space to exit. Allow everyone who is getting off a chance to exit before you board the elevator.

 

When you enter an elevator, step to the back and stand close to the wall. The first spaces that should be filled are the four corners. Then people should fill in the middle of the elevator. If you are going to a higher floor, try to stand near the back of the elevator so other people who are getting off before you can exit easily.

 

If you are standing near the buttons, help out your fellow passengers. Hold the “door open” button until everyone has boarded and ask people which floors they are going to as they enter. If there are buttons on both the left and right sides of the elevator, one person can push buttons for everyone entering the elevator.

 

If you are carrying a large bag or package, hold it on or near the floor directly in front of your feet. The bag or package will take up less space by your feet than it would be your side.

 

If an elevator is crowded, the person standing closest to the doors exits first, regardless of gender. If several people are getting off, a couple of people at the front should step out to allow others to exit. The people who step out can hold the doors open with their hands and then reenter the elevator.

 

If you are standing in the back of a crowded elevator and your floor is next, tell people as soon as the elevator starts moving after the previous stop. This will allow people to prepare to move so you can exit quickly.

 

Be polite to your fellow passengers. Say “please” and “thank you” when someone holds the door, presses a button, or makes room for you.

 

If you are talking to someone when you get on an elevator, either pause the conversation or talk quietly. If you are talking to someone on a cell phone, end the call and call the person back once you have reached your destination.

 

Many people don’t like to talk on elevators. It is acceptable to say “hello” or “good morning,” but don’t try to make small talk. Keep any eye contact brief.

Pitless Elevators for Homes

Conventional elevators have a shaft with a pit, or a continuation of the hoistway below the lowest level the elevator serves. The lowest level could be the first floor or the basement.

 

A pit is usually required to provide space for the cab support (sling) and space for overtravel. The typical pit depth for a home elevator is 8”. Sometimes the required depth can be as much as 14”.

 

Excavating space for a pit can sometimes be difficult or expensive. Sometimes digging a pit is not an option. For instance, if you have radiant heating in the floor, you will not want to cut into the floor. If you are adding a home elevator to a condo or townhome on upper levels, you may not have an option to cut into the floor.

 

A pitless elevator can avoid these problems. It eliminates the need for a pit or reduces the pit depth requirement, making it easier to retrofit an existing home to add an elevator.

 

Some elevators are completely pitless, meaning they can be installed on top of finished floors. The Visi-48, Visi-58, and Vision 450 can be installed without any pit.

 

The Freedom Green traditional elevator has a pitless option, which is a reduced pit. It still requires a 2” depression, or a 2” step up into the elevator on the lowest landing. The 2” depression can often be addressed by removing tile where the elevator is located. Depending on the depth of the flooring, you may be able to make close to a 2” depression for the reduced pit.

 

If you have a difficult design issue, chances are it has been seen before and there may be a solution. Talk to your local home elevator expert to get some advice.